CLASSIC COMEDYS

over 60 years of comedey

NEWS

A new series of Room 101 will begin on Wednesday September 14 on BBC Two.

Paul Merton will receive rants about the pet hates of Dara O'Briain, Alan Sugar, Sara Cox, Gyles Brandreth, Sheila Hancock, Phillip Schofield, Jenny Éclair and Phil Collins.

Among the people and items whose fate hangs in the balance are Chiswick Post Office, moths, charmless muggers, Gordon The Gopher and the Gallagher brothers.

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ricky gervais hit sitcom extras is returning for a second series with possible guest stars include Jude Law, Maddona and Bradd Pitt.

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Hundreds of fans are making a pilgrimage to the Scottish castle which was used in the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Organisers were bowled over when 1,400 people attended the first Monty Python day at Doune Castle last year.

This year's sell-out event has been restricted to 500 people, who will each receive their own shrubbery in memory of one of the film's running gags.

The events will include a Python Idle contest, named after group member Eric.

There will also be sketch recreations and about 1,200 coconut shells have been flown in from Florida so fans can clip-clop along during a screening of the film.

 
 

The first event was held at Doune Castle, near Stirling, to mark the 30th anniversary of the movie.

The 14th Century building appeared several times in the film, being used as Camelot, the Castle of Guy de Lombard, the Swamp Castle and Castle Anthrax.

It was privately owned at the time of filming, but is now under the stewardship of Historic Scotland.

Event manager Nick Finnigan said last year's event had received a "fantastic" response.

"We really did have everybody from five to 85 coming along, it was astonishing," he said.

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Ricky Gervais and John Cleese have teamed up to write a comedy sketch to mark the opening of the UK's equivalent of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The walkway, set in the grounds of St Paul's church in London's Covent Garden, is to be unveiled on Sunday in a three-hour TV spectacular.

A list of 1,000 celebrities will feature, including such greats as Benny Hill, Cary Grant, Michael Gambon and Bob Hope, with more names added each year.

Gervais, creator of TV hits Extras and The Office, is working on the sketch with Cleese in California, where the Fawlty Towers star now lives.

Executive producer Michael Hurll, who devised the walkway, said: "It's fantastic for us to have got two such great names together and I really can't wait to see the results.

"When we first discussed the idea I was thrilled, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would actually happen."

The stars can be awarded posthumously and must have been born in the UK or Commonwealth for their names to be emblazoned on the walkway on a silver star.

The avenue will be launched complete with a fireworks display on the Thames.

Names previously announced include Sir Alec Guinness, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, Sir Charlie Chaplin, Peter Sellers, Sir Rex Harrison, Nicole Kidman and Lord Laurence Olivier.

Other names are Tom Jones, Peter O'Toole, Albert Finney, Peter Cook, Morecambe and Wise, Sir John Mills, Stan Laurel, Noel Coward and Leonard Rossiter.

RONNIE BARKER

 

A truly great comedy performer and writer.

Ronnie Barker has died aged 76. He's someone who we'll genuinely miss and someone who made a giant contribution to comedy

TV comedy actor Ronnie Barker, who starred in Porridge and The Two Ronnies, has died aged 76.

One of the most loved and respected comedy performers of his generation, he was best known as one half of a double act with Ronnie Corbett.

But he also proved himself as an outstanding sitcom actor and script writer, winning four Bafta TV awards.

Corbett led the tributes saying: "Ronnie was pure gold in triplicate - as a performer, a writer and a friend."

He went on: "We worked together since 1965 and we never had a cross word.

"It was 40 years of harmonious joy, nothing but an absolute pleasure. I will miss him terribly."

David Jason, Barker's co-star for many years in Open All Hours, said: "He was a very dear friend and someone for whom I had the greatest respect.

Laughs, big laughs, and laughs that you will always remember
Michael Hurll, The Two Ronnies producer

"Working with Ronnie was always a joy and were without doubt some of the best years of my career. The world of entertainment has lost a huge talent."

Barker's agent said the actor died peacefully on Monday with his wife Joy by his side, after a long period of heart trouble.

John Cleese, who began his career with Barker on The Frost Report, said he was a "warm, friendly and encouraging presence" and "a great comic actor to learn from".

 
 

 

Cleese's Monty Python colleague Michael Palin said: "I can't think of anyone who knew how to play comedy better than Ronnie Barker and I count myself enormously fortunate to have known and worked with him."

Veteran comedian Eric Sykes said: "It's a very sad day. I've always admired him. Everything he did had a very evocative ring, of something great."

Former Conservative prime minister John Major added: "Ronnie Barker will forever be remembered as one of the great comic actors."

Last year Barker was awarded a lifetime achievement Bafta for his TV work.

That led to a return for The Two Ronnies on BBC One, 34 years after the show first appeared on TV screens and 17 years after he first retired from showbusiness.

 
The Two Ronnies ran for 15 years on the BBC

Barker starred in two of the most popular sitcoms in BBC history - Porridge and Open All Hours, creating two classic characters, the laconic inmate Fletcher and the stuttering shopkeeper Arkwright.

At the peak of his career Barker, along with Corbett, entertained 17 million people every Saturday night with The Two Ronnies, which ran for 15 years delivering comic sketches, funny songs and old-fashioned tall tales.

Every programme ended with Corbett bidding the audience "goodnight from me", to which Barker would add "and it's goodnight from him".

I put him in the same league as Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers
Barry Cryer

Michael Hurll, producer of The Two Ronnies, said: "We will never see his like again."

The BBC head of comedy Jon Plowman said Barker was "just a genius".

Chat show host Michael Parkinson told BBC News 24 that Barker was "one of our very greatest comedy actors".

A special programme celebrating Barker's life will be shown on Tuesday at 2235 BST on BBC One and the BBC News website.

The show first screened last year to mark Barker's lifetime achievement Bafta will be shown again at 2100 BST on Friday on BBC One.

Barker leaves his wife and three children, actress Charlotte Barker, the actor Adam Barker and Larry Barker.

 Ronnie BarkerRonnie BarkerRonnie Barker

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